I'm posting this here to avoid interaction with the cast of K Street irregulars over at GD Primaries, AND because I take this as encouraging to we Bernie supporters as a sign that HRC's financial support is drying up in the critical state of Pennsylvania. One of the links includes a photo of Bill getting a warm reception in Bethlehem during HRC's 2008 campaign. Not this time around!

Not only did he cancel the Bethlehem appearance, but attendees at his Pittsburgh fundraising reported a low turnout. He "popped in and out" for a 30 minute speech, and the Allegheny county Democratic chairwoman tried to spin the low turnout as an "intimate gathering". Note the campaign reported the number as "100 to 150" - with no photos or independent verification of that number. They could hardly admit to less than 100, could they!

Former President Bill Clinton delivered a half-hour speech then schmoozed with the 100 to 150 donors in Consol Energy Center's Lexus Club, helping to raise enthusiasm and at least $50,000 for his wife's campaign, attendees said.

(Allegheny County Democratic Chairwoman Nancy) Mills described the event as an “intimate gathering.”

Allegheny County Republican Chairman Jim Roddey thought the turnout was “a lot lighter than I would have imagined,” noting he expected the former president to draw 300 to 500 people.

Mayor Bill Peduto and county Executive Rich Fitzgerald had just five minutes with Bill Clinton before the former president addressed a fundraiser Thursday at Consol Energy Center. But in that time, Mr. Peduto said, the garrulous Mr. Clinton spoke about Pennsylvania’s political landscape, how it had changed since his 1992 presidential run, and recent events including the San Bernardino, Calif., shootings.“That was just him,” Mr. Peduto said. “We were just listening.”

As detailed and cited/documented in an earlier thread, the Clinton campaign was pushing Bill to appear at 20 fundraisers in December, including 3 today spread across the state of Pennsylvania. A luncheon at Pittsburgh at Noon, followed by events at 4:30 p.m. in Bethlehem and 7:45 p.m. in Scranton. All in all, a punishing schedule for a man with his cardiac (quadruple by-pass) health history.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10747374

The Thursday cancellation of the Bethlehem fundraiser was barely 24 hours beforehand, but he still was going through with the other two. All these events were closed to the press, as per usual for either Clinton's fund-raising events held behind closed door at undisclosed, elite locations.

In the absence of any explanation at the time of the announcement, or any response to a reporter's queries to Clinton Campaign headquarters, I suggest there was an embarrassingly low response. If you don't got the money, honey, Bill don't got the time. Another possibility is that the physical demands of his 20 fundraising events in one month is taking a toll on his health.

Bill Clinton's Bethlehem fundraising put on hold (headline)

If you were hoping to spend $500 to $2,700 to see Bill Clinton on Thursday in Bethlehem, you'll have to pocket the cash and wait awhile.

Argeros referred all other questions to the Hillary for America Pennsylvania finance operation. A phone call to that group wasn't immediately returned. It's not clear when -- or if -- the fundraiser will be rescheduled. The willhillarywin.com website had not updated the former president's schedule and as of Wednesday afternoon was still showing the event.

Bill Clinton's Scranton appearance -- one of three initially scheduled for Thursday -- was moved from 7:45 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Times-Tribune of Scranton reports, which was in the window of Clinton's 4:30-6:30 p.m. Bethlehem visit.

In the early 1970's, I was a Research Fellow for the National Institute of Mental Health, and as such was conducting a study of elderly residents in high rise apartment buildings for low income elderly in Pittsburgh. One woman I interviewed was the daughter of a West Virginia coal miner. Since I myself am the grand daughter of a coal miner who helped organize his union, even when the Pinkertons came in to fight them, I was interested when she told me she'd written a poem about coal-mining families, and asked if I could read it. I was so touched by it, I copied it, with her permission. That was over 40 years ago, and I just came across it in some old papers. The term "sealed in" refers to miners who were forever entombed in mine collapses. This elderly poetess must be long gone by now, but I think she would be very pleased, and even honored, to have you take the time to read her poem.

TWENTY TWO SEALED IN

I hate working in coal mines.
My wife and children are always crying
Everytime I go down in the coal mines.

I keep telling them I can soon decline.
I am getting too old to work in the mines.
The children sometimes say,
Daddy, please don't go today.
We are willing to give up
Such as Christmas stuff.
Toy trains running on tracks
We only ask,
Please, don't go back
In the old coal mines.

Because it would cause an awful lot
of suffering and crying
If you don't come back.
If we only have these rags on our back
And this old shack,
We will have you
And that's a fact.

(Written by Ella G. Nichols, Age 67; copied by me on Saturday, August 12, 1972)

Manchester, NH – IBEW Local 1228 is calling on Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders to tell Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz to terminate WMUR’s sponsorship and any participation by the station in the Saturday, December 19 Democratic Presidential debate if a contract for the Production Department isn’t reached by Monday, December 14.

WMUR is owned by the Hearst Corporation. WMUR/Hearst is refusing to allow Production Department employees to continue contributing to their Hearst Union Pension Plan just because they formed a union.

On Friday, December 4, Local 1228 held an informational picket line at WMUR. Bernie Sanders spoke with the workers, and it was agreed that he should cross the line so he could deliver a message of support to WMUR Station Manager Jeff Bartlett for the bargaining unit workers. Up until then, WMUR/Hearst had refused to negotiate until after the debate, but Sanders got Bartlett to agree to bargain before December 19. Sanders came back to the picket line to deliver Bartlett’s message agreeing to negotiate.

Local 1228 Business Manager Fletcher Fischer called Bartlett immediately and offered to negotiate any day or time of WMUR/Hearst’s choosing. WMUR/Hearst’s attorney subsequently notified Fischer that there would be no negotiations until after the debate.

Also on Friday, DNC Chair Wasserman Schultz spoke to WMUR. She was told that the union, not WMUR/Hearst was refusing to negotiate before the debate.

“I find it unbelievable that WMUR/Hearst lied to Debbie Wasserman Schultz about our willingness to settle this contract since they have little or no regard for workers who just want to keep the pension they already have”, Fischer said. “WMUR/Hearst has negotiated similar deals around workers’ pensions with Local 1228 at other stations, and we expect them to take care of loyal employees.”

Only the biggest and best is (just barely) good enough for Hillary.
Bill Gates OWNS a Dassault Falcon. See that's why Hillary feels she and Bill aren't really rich - because they have to RENT a private jet, and the very wealthy they aspire to hang with OWN their private jets.

The main story is the same old, same old Clinton fundraiser - in secret luxury location. $500 minimum donation for admission to the event, and $2700 to get a photo w/him. The semi-secret schedule is Pittsburgh at 12 noon; Bethlehem at 4:30 p.m. and Scranton later in the evening. Interestingly, the announced Pittsburgh co-host, Penguins CEO Morehouse is having heart valve repair/bypass surgery tomorrow, so is highly unlikely to be hosting anything 2 days later. And coincidentally, Bill Clinton has been hospitalized twice with heart disease, including a quadruple by-pass surgery.

According to the report, Bill Clinton is scheduled for 20 fundraisers across the country in the month of December. TWENTY.

Three of these fund raisers are scheduled for the same day in Pennsylvania.
Clinton will appear at a 4:30 p.m. Hillary for America event in Bethlehem, where tickets begin at $500 per person. For $2,700, attendees can have their photo taken with the Democratic ex-president.

An event listing on Hillary Clinton's campaign website said the address would be provided to those purchasing tickets.

The Clinton campaign declined to offer additional details on the Bethlehem event or other fundraisers scheduled that day in Pittsburgh and Scranton.

Would any cardio doctor approve this schedule for a 69 year old patient with his health history? Would anyone who cared about the man? If he were my Dad or spouse, I'd say, WTF are you trying to do? Kill yourself?

But there is the money factor. When HRC visited the elite Fox Chapel suburb for her Conversations with Hillary fundraiser, photos were also $2700 each. Her handlers were adept at lining donors up, moving them next to HRC for a photo, and herding them out to make room for the next in line. Average time - 10 seconds. There were no conversations with her in the photo line. Let's say things slow down a bit with Bill - to 15 seconds per photo op. That's 4 photos per minute, times 60 minutes, which equals a rate of 240 photos in an hour. That translates to an hourly rate of $ 548,000. That's even more lucrative than HRC's 30 minute speeches for $200,000/$275,000.

"A Conversation with President Bill Clinton,” costing supporters at least $500 per plate, is set to start at noon (Thursday, Dec. 10). The invitation refers to “a momentous event in support of Hillary Clinton” but shrouds the venue in mystery, saying only donors will be given the location.

A Democratic source confirmed the site as the luxury Lexus Club in the Uptown hockey and concert venue. The invitation lists Penguins CEO David Morehouse, who once worked for Clinton, as a co-host. However, the team announced Monday that Morehouse is scheduled to undergo heart valve repair and bypass surgery on Tuesday.

Contributors who pledge $2,700 to the fundraiser — the maximum allowable individual donation for a primary election — can get their photo taken with Bill Clinton, according to the invitation circulated by email and posted to the campaign website.

The former president will headline at least 20 fundraisers for his wife's campaign across the country this month.

Rahm was right about one thing - if he had not suppressed that tape until after his election last fall, he'd have been out on his ass from Chicagoland. He'd have never gotten ANY of Chicago's black vote. He, being an egotistical narcissist, had great expectations of running for national office following his time in Chicago. Now there is a second murder tape about to be released re the Chicago police, and Rahm's ambitions are dead in the water. Politically speaking, he is Dead Man Walking.

From today's Chicago Tribune:

"The danger for the mayor is that his support in Chicago is about a quarter-inch deep. He's like some weed in a crack in the sidewalk. There are no roots to hold this man. Because after playing African-American politicians and ministers for fools with that Laquan McDonald video, I don't see how the national stage can be open to him. The national media once kissed his hand as if he were a pasha. No more.

Yes, another new police shooting video is expected to be released of another victim, and now Hillary, has called for federal investigations of Rahm's police department. Even Bernie Sanders, appealing to that same African-American unrest, is demanding a federal probe.
Hillary and Bernie understand arithmetic. African-American politicians supported Rahm. And he kept that McDonald video under wraps until after his re-election. Without black votes, there can be no Democratic Party.

Rahm is a different creature. He craves conflict. But after what he's done, he can't ask African-Americans to support him again. Emanuel still has his hands on the levers of power, but these days, with that other video coming out and the Chicago Teachers Union moving toward a strike, the mayor of Chicago is not the Great and Powerful Rahm.

Whether it was his penchant for secrecy and plots and arrogance, Chicago has finally seen what's behind the curtain. And it isn't some terrible strongman or boss with a big voice. It's just a little guy on borrowed time.

According to snippets from both HRC's and WJC's books, her father was psychologically and physically abusive. Even one of HRC's strongest supporters discussed this in DU's Hillary Clinton group. http://www.democraticunderground.com/110713163

The brusque son of an English immigrant and a coal miner’s daughter in Scranton, Pa., Mr. Rodham, for most of his life, harbored prejudices against blacks, Catholics and anyone else not like him. He hurled biting sarcasm at his wife and only daughter and spanked, at times excessively, his three children to keep them in line, according to interviews with friends and a review of documents, Mrs. Clinton’s writings and former President Bill Clinton’s memoir."http://t.co/LxfS5ft51H via NYTimes

Well, she was a kid and was stuck with her family. But come adulthood, she chose her partner.

The first time one's spouse cheats, it's a shame-on-the-cheater situation. One can choose to forgive and to try to save the marriage. But the second time? 3rd? 4th? and so on. Even when the adulterer is so reckless that the affairs get international publicity? It then becomes shame on the person who enables the serial adulterer by not only staying in the marriage, but by blaming the adulterer's partners. And not just blaming the women, but setting up & directing the Bimbo Eruption Squad to intimidate, threaten and otherwise shut them up.

Count your garden by the flowers
never by the leaves that fall.
Count your days by golden hours
don't remember clouds at all.
Count the night by stars, not shadows.
Count your years by smiles, not tears.
And with joy on every birthday,
Count your life by friends not years.

Sestak did this in October of 2013, following a blowout 100 miles east of Pittsburgh, which sent a plume of contaminated drilling water & natural gas 75 feet into the air & flowing into the ground for 16 hours before being capped. A failed blowout preventer triggered BP's environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

I post this to illustrate that he is not in the pocket of Big Fracking.

Sestak - the Democratic nominee for Senate - compared the incident, which has initially been linked to a failed blowout preventer, to the circumstances that led to the BP oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Sestak wrote to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to ask that the Marcellus Shale development be monitored by the EPA to ensure that drilling does not harm Pennsylvania's water resources.

"This accident highlights the significant dangers of these drilling operations, which are expanding in Pennsylvania at an unprecedented rate and scale," Sestak wrote, noting that American Rivers has declared the Upper Delaware River the most endangered in the country due to Marcellus Shale development. "Proper regulations are not in place to manage them and protect the public." He said Pennsylvania must have proper investigation and testing of groundwater and air contamination and the EPA has the technical expertise to do so.

As a House member, Sestak co-sponsored the FRAC Act, a companion to a Senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Bob Casey, that would repeal the "Halliburton Loophole," a Bush-era deal that allows drillers to avoid compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.